But who are his flock? All real penitents, all true believers; all who obediently follow his example, abstaining from every appearance of evil, and in a holy life and conversation showing forth the virtues of Him who called them from darkness into his marvellous light. "My sheep hear my voice, and follow me." But who are not his flock! Neither the backslider in heart, nor the vile Antinomian, who thinks the more he sins, the more the grace of God shall be magnified in saving him; nor those who fondly suppose they are covered with the righteousness of Christ while living in sin; nor the crowd of the indifferent and the careless, nor the immense herd of Laodicean loiterers; nor the fiery bigots who would exclude all from heaven but themselves, and the party who believe as they do. These the Scripture resembles to swine, dogs, wandering stars, foxes, lions, wells without water, &c., &c. Let not any of these come forward to feed on this pasture, or take of the children's bread. Jesus Christ is the good Shepherd; the Shepherd who, to save his flock, laid down his own life.

I shall not want. ] How can they? He who is their Shepherd has all power in heaven and earth; therefore he can protect them. The silver and gold are his, and the cattle on a thousand hills; and therefore he can sustain them. He has all that they need, and his heart is full of love to mankind; and therefore he will withhold from them no manner of thing that is good.

The old Psalter both translates and paraphrases this clause well: "Lord governs me, and nathing sal want to me. In stede of pastour thare he me sett."The voice of a rightwis man: "Lord" Crist "es my kyng", and for thi (therefore) "nathyng sal me want": that es, in hym I sal be siker, and suffisand, for I hope in hymn gastly gude and endles. "And he ledes me in stede of pastoure",that es, understandyng of his worde, and delyte in his luf. Qwar I am siker to be fild, thar in that stede (place) he sett me, to be nurysht til perfectioun." Who can say more, who need say less, than this?

Matthew Henry Commentary

--"The Lord is my shepherd." In these words, the believer is taught to express his satisfaction in the care of the great Pastor of the universe, the Redeemer and Preserver of men. With joy he reflects tha he has a shepherd, and that shepherd is Jehovah. A flock of sheep gentle and harmless, feeding in verdant pastures, under the care of skilful, watchful, and tender shepherd, forms an emblem of believer brought back to the Shepherd of their souls. The greatest abundance i but a dry pasture to a wicked man, who relishes in it only what please the senses; but to a godly man, who by faith tastes the goodness of God in all his enjoyments, though he has but little of the world, it is green pasture. The Lord gives quiet and contentment in the mind whatever the lot is. Are we blessed with the green pastures of the ordinances, let us not think it enough to pass through them, but let u abide in them. The consolations of the Holy Spirit are the still water by which the saints are led; the streams which flow from the Fountai of living waters. Those only are led by the still waters of comfort who walk in the paths of righteousness. The way of duty is the trul pleasant way. The work of righteousness in peace. In these paths we cannot walk, unless. God lead us into them, and lead us on in them Discontent and distrust proceed from unbelief; an unsteady walk is the consequence: let us then simply trust our Shepherd's care, and hearke to his voice. The valley of the shadow of death may denote the mos severe and terrible affliction, or dark dispensation of providence that the psalmist ever could come under. Between the part of the floc on earth and that which is gone to heaven, death lies like a dar valley that must be passed in going from one to the other. But even in this there are words which lessen the terror. It is but the shadow of death: the shadow of a serpent will not sting, nor the shadow of sword kill. It is a valley, deep indeed, and dark, and miry; but valleys are often fruitful, and so is death itself fruitful of comfort to God's people. It is a walk through it: they shall not be lost in this valley, but get safe to the mountain on the other side. Death is king of terrors, but not to the sheep of Christ. When they come to die God will rebuke the enemy; he will guide them with his rod, and sustai them with his staff. There is enough in the gospel to comfort the saints when dying, and underneath them are the everlasting arms. The Lord's people feast at his table, upon the provisions of his love Satan and wicked men are not able to destroy their comforts, while the are anointed with the Holy Spirit, and drink of the cup of salvatio which is ever full. Past experience teaches believers to trust that the goodness and mercy of God will follow them all the days of their lives and it is their desire and determination, to seek their happiness in the service of God here, and they hope to enjoy his love for ever in heaven. While here, the Lord can make any situation pleasant, by the anointing of his Spirit and the joys of his salvation. But those tha would be satisfied with the blessings of his house, must keep close to the duties of it __________________________________________________________________

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